Thursday proved to be a gabfest but little else from the Heat, with its first pre-playoff workout to come Friday. Mostly it was a case of listening between the lines:

Erik Spoelstra said he had his lineup in mind for Sunday's Game 1, but, of course, would not reveal it. He did say, however, that Dwyane Wade would have to play ample minutes against Joe Johnson. So does that mean Michael Beasley at small forward, instead of a defensive presence such as Jamario Moon or Yakhouba Diawara?

Spoelstra said everyone but guard Luther Head (broken left hand) would be available for Friday's practice, but power forward Udonis Haslem said it is possible he has to open the series with six stitches still in his right thumb, as he recovers from the laceration that sidelined him the final six games of the regular-season.

Actually, the Heat will be without Mark Blount for at least the first two games of the Hawks series, with the backup center returning to the Caribbean to attend to a family matter.

Dwyane Wade and Haslem have invoked a "no-nightlife" rule for the four nights the team will stay in Atlanta, with Game 1 on Sunday and Game 2 not until Wednesday.

No one, though, volunteered to step up and pay for a team dinner, with Haslem saying he's not in the same tax bracket as Wade and O'Neal, with Wade saying O'Neal earns more, and with O'Neal saying he's still dealing with the bills from his family's recent trip to Orlando.

In a more serious vein, O'Neal said he plans a vigorous offseason workout program to regain his former elite status, with sessions planned in Chicago with Tim Grover, who worked last summer with Wade, and then in Las Vegas with NBA guru Joe Abunassar.

Beasley showed up in funky goggles a night after being poked in the eye by Detroit's Amir Johnson. Teammates were more amused by Beasley's puffy hair, with O'Neal insisting either Beasley submit to a haircut or teammates will take the styling into their own hands.

Because he's Michael Beasley, the rookie forward completed his interview session by "tagging" the interview table with a black marker. A similar fascination led to his expulsion from prep school.

Comments (195 Comments)

Posted by: josh | April 17, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Agreed. Why Spo is suddenly tossing around the idea of something he was so vehemently against all through the regular season is puzzling to say the least.
Beasley has certain traits that could lend to spot minutes at 3 (preferably in a big lineup with JO at the 4 and Magloire at center; again, spot minutes) but it partially negates what can make him so effective at PF. By placing Mike at SF, you’re allowing him to be covered by quicker players on the perimeter, who won’t have to give as much space against to cover the J as the slower 4’s do and who can play the drive better. That wouldn’t be much of an issue if we had an offense that featured post dump-offs to exploit mismatches, but we don’t.
One of the last bullsh*t excuses Spo gave for not playing Beasley more was his lack of consistency on the glass. So, when the kid starts rebounding like a madman, Coach of the Year thinks it’s a good idea to position him even further away from the perimeter? And for what? So Haslem can get 35+ minutes a game (coming off an injury to his shooting hand)? It’s just silly. Beasley and Haslem really don’t belong on the floor together at the saem time. Michael shouldn’t be logging major minutes at the 3 and Haslem shouldn’t log minutes at the 5 AT ALL.

” Posted by: Slledge | April 17, 2009 at 11:46 AM ”
Dude, no insecurities. I’m not the one calling every single male by some girl version of his name (Duncanetta, Joshetta, etc) or giving dudes nicknames like “BabyBeasley” or “LunaMoon”. The only way you could be any gayer is if you tattooed a pair of balls on your forehead.

“So Josh. Would you be willing to see Beasley out there 30+ minutes a game, provided he gets some minutes at small forward, or just take the 20 minutes or so that Haslem isn’t using to raise his 2010 offseason value at the power forward spot?”
I think I’d rather him just get 20 minutes at PF. At least that way, when we lose in 6, there will be a fan backlash and an impetus for change. And we won’t be jeopardizing his future by asking him to take all the things we taught him this season — you know, about rebounding, playing defense, and finishing strong — and throw them out. Because that’s basically what we’d be doing. “Yeah, forget this whole season Mike. In fact, just do the same things you were doing in Game 2 of the season, when you shot from the outside and floated around / got blown by on defense while paying tangential attention to rebounds.”
Plus, I don’t want Spo’s retarded a$$ to get the notion for even a minute that Beasley and Haslem can co-exist as starters. Haslem needs to go. Period. He can come off the bench or he can get traded, but he’s not a starter for the Miami Heat after this season.
Posted by: josh | April 17, 2009 at 11:28 AM
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+100

I think the Spo hate might be a little premature. I have a gut feeling we’re going to finally see a Chalmers, Wade, Beasley, Haslem, O’Neal line-up on Sunday night. I’m going to give him one more chance.
Posted by: eddieomaha | April 17, 2009 at 09:26 AM
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if haslem defends the opposing 3, it may not be a bad idea. This gives both haslem and beasley in the lineup, and also having a low post presence in as well..

“So Josh. Would you be willing to see Beasley out there 30+ minutes a game, provided he gets some minutes at small forward, or just take the 20 minutes or so that Haslem isn’t using to raise his 2010 offseason value at the power forward spot?”
I think I’d rather him just get 20 minutes at PF. At least that way, when we lose in 6, there will be a fan backlash and an impetus for change. And we won’t be jeopardizing his future by asking him to take all the things we taught him this season — you know, about rebounding, playing defense, and finishing strong — and throw them out. Because that’s basically what we’d be doing. “Yeah, forget this whole season Mike. In fact, just do the same things you were doing in Game 2 of the season, when you shot from the outside and floated around / got blown by on defense while paying tangential attention to rebounds.”
Plus, I don’t want Spo’s retarded a$$ to get the notion for even a minute that Beasley and Haslem can co-exist as starters. Haslem needs to go. Period. He can come off the bench or he can get traded, but he’s not a starter for the Miami Heat after this season.
Posted by: josh | April 17, 2009 at 11:28 AM
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Actually, +10000000000000000000…..

The only way you could be any gayer is if you tattooed a pair of balls on your forehead.
Posted by: josh | April 17, 2009 at 11:53 AM
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OMG! That is so funny!
(even richard simmons refuses to come out)

Slledge,
I think we can agree on the great job they have done teaching him defense. Whether or not the carrot and stick method in regards to playing time is the best way, I don’t think there is necessarily a clear answer, but I don’t care about that now. And I know they are thinking long term, which is good.
BUT, we already SEE the potential of the fruits of their labor and the time line at least has the possibility to be moved up drastically. A lot of us are just arguing that concepts they were trying to drill into his head are there, and the time for games is over. I don’t think we have a chance in the playoffs if Beasley goes back to his 24 mpg bench role, while I do see a chance of making some noise if we keep him starting.
Regardless of how much better UD is at team and help defense, we are mediocre at best with him starting. We routinely fall behind by huge deficits with our old starting line up. So while thinking long term is a great plan long term, if we want to actually have a chance at anything this year, I think it’s with Beasley(and Cook actually) having a bigger role. They’re at the point where they need to grow in-game.
Like I said, I think Spo gets that after what’s the rook has done these past few games, so I’ll reserve judgment for now and hope for the best.

If you’re not going to blame Haslem then I don’t think you can blame Spo either. Spo is just trying to keep his job too as a head coach. Suck up to the veterans while maintaining a generous winning percentage(courtesy of Dwyane Wade).
You basically had two people, Spo and Haslem, deciding to make this season about them and not the team.
Posted by: captain charisma | April 17, 2009 at 11:39 AM
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Y’all are assuming that Spo’s use of beasley is his free choice/whim. I do think that Mr. Pat has a definite hand in the way this treatment has unfolded.

No offense Josh, but sometimes you sound gay. When we have a disagreement and you throw out a, “So… uh, yeah you’re wrong”… you get dangerously close to homoville. It sounds like something that would precede two snaps and a circle.

“I think the Spo hate might be a little premature.”
No it wasn’t. We could’ve had homecourt vs Atl if Beasley……instead we gotta hope Wade drops 50 at Atl in game 7.
Posted by: FMB or FS | April 17, 2009 at 10:45 AM
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If Wade is having to score 50, I don’t think we are beating Atlanta in that game. We win if the team does it for most of the night and Wade can take over in the 4th.

“When we have a disagreement and you throw out a, “So… uh, yeah you’re wrong”… you get dangerously close to homoville.”
That’s not homoville. That’s being-right ville. You should really visit more often.

Haha, nice reference, dude.
“He’s gettin’ beat like he stole somethin’!” – Hayden Panettierre, prior to being smokin’ hot
Posted by: josh | April 17, 2009 at 11:51 AM
I don’t think Panettierre was ever hot. She always looked 10 lbs heavier than she should be, especially in her face. She’s just a blond with a big butt, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Go to a random bar in a college town and you’ll see tons of girls her level.
Posted by: captain charisma | April 17, 2009 at 01:24 PM
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+100
Posted by: cruicruise | April 17, 2009 at 01:28 PM
College chicks try to look more like Pamela Anderson then Hayden. So she’s like a breath of fresh air.

“I don’t think we have a chance in the playoffs if Beasley goes back to his 24 mpg bench role, while I do see a chance of making some noise if we keep him starting.
Regardless of how much better UD is at team and help defense, we are mediocre at best with him starting. We routinely fall behind by huge deficits with our old starting line up. So while thinking long term is a great plan long term, if we want to actually have a chance at anything this year, I think it’s with Beasley(and Cook actually) having a bigger role. They’re at the point where they need to grow in-game.
Like I said, I think Spo gets that after what’s the rook has done these past few games, so I’ll reserve judgment for now and hope for the best.
Posted by: MikeP | April 17, 2009 at 12:23 PM”
I agree that Beasley should now play more minutes in the Playoffs. That’s partly because of his improvements on the boards and general D, largely thanks to the conservative coaching strategy with him during 82 games. He’s much better now overall than a few months or weeks ago.
He’s probably not gonna start, anyway, for 2 main reasons I think: 1/ To make sure he stays out of foul trouble and lasts till cruch-time; 2/ Because Wade starts, and the Heat needs Beasley’s offense when Wade is reating.
But again, I think Pat Riley and the Heat coaching staff have been doing an awesome job at educating this kid, preparing him with the right penchant for defense for years to come. A long-term approach that has already started to pay off, but that will continue, since it’s particular important for a Power Forward to rebound and defend in the NBA.
Pat Riley doesn’t want another Stoudemire or Bosh who can’t defend, not even a Dirk Nowitski. Beasly is capable of being even better than that, in due time, playing also good D besides the deadly shooting, with the proper developing strategy.

I agree that Beasley should now play more minutes in the Playoffs. That’s partly because of his improvements on the boards and general D, largely thanks to the conservative coaching strategy with him during 82 games. He’s much better now overall than a few months or weeks ago.
Posted by: Slledge | April 17, 2009 at 01:43 PM
I think you exagerate to try to make your point.

IRA WINDERMAN is embarking on his 24th season covering the Miami Heat for the Sun-Sentinel, witnessing more than 1,900 of the team's games (thus the bags under the eyes and hair loss not truly depicted by the accompanying photo). With the help of antacids (during the lean years) and a sense of humor (during the Riley dictatorship), he has been able to remain a courtside fixture at AmericanAirlines Arena, a veteran 12 years older than coach Erik Spoelstra. Only former trainer Ron Culp had attended more Heat games, but, then again, Winderman has yet to tape his first ankle.